COWS and heifers on the point of calving attracted the most money at Landmark's annual autumn dairy sale at Shepparton last week.
The sale topped at $1950 for Holstein cow close to calving and averaged $1160 for about 150 head.
Most of the offering of 100 autumn-calving cows and 10 autumn-calving heifers-all pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Holstein bulls - were offered by the Ware family, of Warewood Park, near Shepparton, as the first stage of their herd dispersal.
Better-conditioned, March-calving cows and heifers sold from $1600 but many sales ranged from $750 to $1100 for older and/or April-calving cows.
Jersey and Jersey-cross heifers joined to a Jersey bull for mid-March calving sold from $750 to $1200.
Heywood-based Macquarie Agricultural Services paid to a top of $1900 and an average of $1336 for 26 Holsteins.
Other major buyers included Neil Widdiecombe, of Colac, who paid to $1700 for a draft 20 head, and Edward Conheady, of Noorat, who paid to $1650 for five.
Most of the cattle went to the Western District and some to Gippsland.
Landmark auctioneer Gerard Delaney said the strong Western District interest showed the lack of available autumn-calving cows for sale.
He said dairy farmers had been looking for autumn calvers to make the most of processor incentives for milk supplied in March and April and to take advantage of the "abundance of grass".
Mr Delaney said this demand was reflected at a recent dispersal sale in Warrnambool where dairy farmers paid up to $2500 for Holsteins.
Demand for cows is expected to continue well after the March-April peak this year, Mr Delaney said.
